Show Again Harry Utilities On Income Tax Returns It is rather Interesting that right In tn the midst of all the talk about peace peace between the administration and the electric industry somebody no no one is willing apparently to take the responsibility for going so far opened far opened the door to further harrying har har- harrying harrying of the utilities on the question of income tax returns The The first announcement of what I had happened was that an executive executive executive tive order had been issued under which the TVA TV A investigating com- com committe committe mitte could look at any or all in in- income income income come tax returns of the utilities The executive order was so so broad in scope that it not only permitted all the corporation income tax tax re returns re turns but the individual ones ones one as asWell well And it applied to every utility r rIa Ia in the United States When questions were raised by Republican members of the com com- committee committee at nt its next meeting there there- thereafter thereafter thereafter after Francis Biddle tills this commit commit- committees committee's committees committee's committees committee's tees tee's counsel said that all that had been wanted were the corporation on income tax returns of the Tennessee Electric Power company No re re- returns returns re- re returns turns of any other utility corpora corpora- corporation corporation corporation tion would be used he said nor would any my personal income tax re re- turns But as Rep Charles A A. Wolver- Wolver Wolverton ton Immediately pointed out the ex ex- executive executive executive order provided for all util util- utility utility utility ity corporations and for all individual ual Income returns based on utility corporations He said that the in in- investigators investigators of the committee would thus have access to all such re re- returns returns re- re returns turns they might care to look at regardless of what might be select select- selected ed for use In the committee hearing Whereupon Mr Biddle produced the original request which was lim lim- limited limited limited In scope as he had said His letter was addressed to Secretary of the Treasury Henry Jr So there seems to be quite a mys mys- mystery mystery mystery tery as to the stage in the journey of these papers when the scope was widened to include all |